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He would give her a piece of bone.

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to give me a leg up with the interpretation of the expression in bold in the following sentence?

She had a right to his arm, though it was without feeling. He would give her, who was so simple, so impulsive, only twenty-four, without friends in England, who had left Italy for his sake, a piece of bone.

have a bone to pick = to have grounds for a quarrel

bone to pick = grounds for a complaint or dispute.

give someone a bone = don’t give grounds for complaint or dispute

He would give her a piece of bone. = He shouldn’t offend her. = He shouldn’t hurt her.